This section provides a general summary of the disclosure, and is not a comprehensive disclosure of its full scope or all of its features.
Floor cleaning machines and in particular floor scrubbers operate in such a way that fluid is first applied to the floor that is to be cleaned with the aid of a cleaning head, which is provided with driven brushes, and which is mounted on the machine, wherein the brushes ensure that any dirt that is located on the floor is loosened, and then absorbed by the cleaning fluid. A suction foot, which is also mounted on the floor scrubber, serves to suction up the contaminated fluid.
Suction feet of this kind are known from the prior art and have a slotted strip located in the front as viewed in the direction of travel, which is formed out of rubber, having an edge, which rests on the floor area, and having slots, through which the fluid can pass. A sealing strip, which is likewise made of rubber, is provided on the rear side of the suction foot as viewed in the direction of travel, an edge of which sealing strip rests against the floor area so that a suction area is formed between the slotted strip and the sealing strip. Said suction area is connected to a negative pressure source, which is provided in the floor scrubber, via a suction line. During operation, fluid passes through the slots in the suction area and is then suctioned up through the negative pressure source.
During operation, both the slotted strip and the sealing strip are subjected to a certain amount of wear so that it is necessary to replace both the sealing strip and the slotted strip at regular intervals. In addition, the sealing strip and the slotted strip must be mounted on the suction foot in such a way that the edges thereof that face the floor area rest against the floor area over the entire length of the strip. Furthermore, the slotted strip and the sealing strip must be mounted on the inner body of the suction foot in such a way that the suction area, which is formed between said strips, is well sealed, and that air can only pass through the slots, which are provided in the slotted strip. Finally, the design of the suction foot should be such that a user can change the sealing strip and the slotted strip both quickly and reliably.
It is known from WO 2010/073007 A1 than an inner body can be inserted into a guide groove, which is formed in an outer body of the suction foot, wherein the sealing strip or, respectively, the slotted strip is disposed between the two side pieces of the inner body and the wall of the groove. Such a design is problematic, however, due to manufacturing tolerances both in the outer body and in the sealing strip, the slotted strip and the inner body. On the one hand, this may result in the two strips being inserted in an incorrect orientation, and on the other hand, secondary air may be drawn as a result of leaks.
Furthermore, it is known from WO 2007/076181 A2 that the sealing strip and the slotted strip can be pressed into a groove in an outer body with the aid of a conically shaped inner body. Here however, manufacturing tolerances give rise to the problem that the height of the suction area between the lower surface of the inner body and the sealing and slotted strips varies, so that the suction performance also varies.
Finally, it is known from WO 2011/057228 A1, from which the present disclosure emanates, that a slotted strip is first slid onto domes on a side piece of an outer body, said side piece extending vertically. An inner body is then mounted and finally the sealing strip, wherein the entire assembly, comprising the outer body, the slotted strip, the inner body and the sealing strip, is locked into position with the aid of a tension band, the outer ends of which engage with the free ends of the outer body.
With this arrangement, it may happen that, due to an incorrect attachment to the outer body, and due to the tensioning exerted on the outer body with the aid of a tension band, the inner body is deformed in such a way that the contact surfaces formed on the inner body for the sealing strip and the slotted strip do not extend with the necessary orientation relative to the ground.